Indonesians dazzled by anything Western

Indonesians dazzled by anything Western

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesians are too easily "dazzled" by anything
Western, from food, lifestyles to economic and democratic
systems, as if they are all worth copying, a noted scholar says.

Economist Sri Edi Swasono, who is also the chairman of the
Indonesian Cooperative Council, said this trend could eventually
wipe out national identity and culture, the Antara news agency
reported yesterday.

"If we let this go on, then people's sense of nationhood will
further erode and this in turn will threaten our national
resilience," he said at a one-day discussion organized by the
Association of Rhetoric Lovers.

Sri Edi, a staff lecturer at Jakarta's University of
Indonesia's school of economy, said that more and more
Indonesians are opting for foreign food in preference over local
traditional fare.

People are now flocking to fast-food outlets serving Western
food, despite the food, such as hamburger and pizza, being
considered junk food in the country of origin.

He recalled that once a Westerner asked him about the decision
by Indonesia's airport authorities to screen Western films in the
waiting lounges. "I replied that Indonesians no longer like
locally made films."

But what is even more worrying is that the Indonesian economy
is now also moving towards capitalism and liberalism, he warned.
"The free market system will jeopardize our goal to attain social
justice for all the people."

The free market system, he added, discriminates against the
poor people because they do not have access to credit facilities.
This is a denial of the people's economic rights. "The poor
without purchasing power will be mere spectators. They will
always be outside the economic transaction fences.

"The free market economy will eventually hand the private
sector and foreign investors those branches of the economy that
affect the livelihood of the masses," he said.

Sri Edi's remarks add to the growing chorus of scholars and
politicians who questioned Indonesia's decision to push for a
free trade area in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
forum by the year 2020.

Lt. Gen. Moetojib, the governor of the National Resilience
Institute of the Armed forces, said in his presentation at the
discussion that all parties must be vigilant against the strong
current of economic globalization.

Moetojib however stressed that Indonesia could not escape the
effects of globalization.

Indonesia should respond to the challenge by sharpening its
economic competitiveness to penetrate, maintain and expand its
access to the world markets.

Some of Indonesia's age old traditional values are now being
tested by the process of globalization. They include the communal
culture, religion, traditional family values, respect for elders,
solidarity and the concept of gotong royong (mutual help), he
said.

These values are being challenged by alien cultures which are
materialistic and individualistic, he added. (emb)